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Background: Sorcin is a calcium sensor that exerts many calcium-related functions in the cells, e.g. it regulates calcium concentration in the cytoplasm, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria, by interacting with calcium pumps, exchangers and channels. Albeit Sorcin is an interesting potential cancer target, little is known about its interactors upon calcium-mediated activation. Our previous study suggested that Sorcin may recognize short linear binding motifs as the crystal structure revealed a self-interaction with a GYYPGG stretch in its N-terminus, and combinatorial peptide-phage display provided support for peptide-mediated interactions. Methods: In this study we screened for motif-based interactions between Sorcin and intrinsically disordered regions of the human proteome using proteomic peptide phage display (ProP-PD). We identified a peptide belonging to protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 3G (PPP1R3G) as a potential novel interactor and confirm the interaction through biophysical and cell-based approaches, and provide structural information through molecular dynamics simulations. Results: Altogether, we identify a preferred motif in the enriched pool of binders and a peptide belonging to protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 3G (PPP1R3G) as a preferred ligand. Conclusion: Through this study we gain information on a new Sorcin binding partner and profile Sorcin's motif-based interaction. General significance: The interaction between Sorcin and PPP1R3G may suggest a close dependence between glucose homeostasis and calcium concentration in the different cell compartments, opening a completely new and interesting scenery yet to be fully disclosed.

Sorcin is an essential penta-EF hand calcium binding protein, able to confer the multi-drug resistance phenotype to drug-sensitive cancer cells and to reduce Endoplasmic Reticulum stress and cell death. Sorcin silencing blocks cell cycle progression in mitosis and induces cell death by triggering apoptosis. Sorcin participates in the modulation of calcium homeostasis and in calcium-dependent cell signalling in normal and cancer cells. The molecular basis of Sorcin action is yet unknown. The X-ray structures of Sorcin in the apo (apoSor) and in calcium bound form (CaSor) reveal the structural basis of Sorcin action: calcium binding to the EF1-3 hands promotes a large conformational change, involving a movement of the long D-helix joining the EF1-EF2 sub-domain to EF3 and the opening of EF1. This movement promotes the exposure of a hydrophobic pocket, which can accommodate in CaSor the portion of its N-terminal domain displaying the consensus binding motif identified by phage display experiments. This domain inhibits the interaction of sorcin with PDCD6, a protein that carries the Sorcin consensus motif, co-localizes with Sorcin in the perinuclear region of the cell and in the midbody and is involved in the onset of apoptosis.

Sorcin is an essential penta-EF hand calcium binding protein, able to confer the multi-drug resistance phenotype to drug-sensitive cancer cells and to reduce Endoplasmic Reticulum stress and cell death. Sorcin silencing blocks cell cycle progression in mitosis and induces cell death by triggering apoptosis. Sorcin participates in the modulation of calcium homeostasis and in calcium-dependent cell signalling in normal and cancer cells. The molecular basis of Sorcin action is yet unknown. The X-ray structures of Sorcin in the apo (apoSor) and in calcium bound form (CaSor) reveal the structural basis of Sorcin action: calcium binding to the EF1-3 hands promotes a large conformational change, involving a movement of the long D-helix joining the EF1-EF2 sub-domain to EF3 and the opening of EF1. This movement promotes the exposure of a hydrophobic pocket, which can accommodate in CaSor the portion of its N-terminal domain displaying the consensus binding motif identified by phage display experiments. This domain inhibits the interaction of sorcin with PDCD6, a protein that carries the Sorcin consensus motif, co-localizes with Sorcin in the perinuclear region of the cell and in the midbody and is involved in the onset of apoptosis.